In the Zone: Bayern 2-0 Barcelona performance analysis

Bayern München have been the Champions League's top scorers for the past three seasons but in their Group C win over Barcelona this week, they caught the eye as much for their defensive qualities as their attacking strengths.

In this analysis brought to you by FedEx, the UEFA Technical Observers' panel highlights Bayern's strong defensive shape and disciplined man-marking which they then matched with some typically impressive movement and energy on the counterattack in order to frustrate a Barcelona side featuring the returning Robert Lewandowski.

Goals

1-0: Lucas Hernández (50)

Bayern's first corner of the game brought the breakthrough with Hernández's first goal since November 2020. Joshua Kimmich produced an excellent near-post delivery and Hernández a strong, determined run to lose his marker, Marcos Alonso, and bury a free header. It proved the turning point as Barcelona lost control for a significant period thereafter, failing to reproduce the same energy and intensity witnessed in the first half.

2-0: Leroy Sané (54)

With Barcelona still affected by the first goal, Bayern profited from one of the rare occasions when Sergio Busquets was not in a central position with an incisive piece of attacking work. Noussair Mazraoui, just inside Barcelona's half on the right, fed a short ball to Jamal Musiala who turned and drove infield before supplying Sané, speeding alongside him, to burst into the box and roll the ball past Marc-André ter Stegen.

Jamal Musiala during Bayer's 2-0 win against BarcelonaDeFodi Images via Getty Images

Player of the Match: Jamal Musiala

In an impressive all-round performance, the 19-year-old impressed UEFA's match observer with his maturity and intelligence. As well as filling an essential role in Bayern's defensive structure with his marking brief on Busquets (see Features section below), he also proved the key player to hurt Barça in possession, as seen with his assist for Sané.

Team formations

Bayern

Bayern's 4-2-3-1 formation

Set up in their usual 4-2-3-1 Bayern had strong partnerships all over the field. They were powerful defensively in the middle third where the two holding midfielders, Marcel Sabitzer (18) and Kimmich (6), operated while further ahead, the front quartet of Sané (10), Musiala (42), Sadio Mané (17) and Thomas Müller (25) interchanged positions and wove their attacking patterns. Later on, coach Julian Nagelsmann tweaked his formation to a 4-4-1-1 with substitute Ryan Gravenberch operating behind Müller.

Barcelona

Barcelona lined up in a 4-3-3 formation

The visitors lined up in their traditional 4-3-3 with Lewandowski as their reference point in attack and the creative midfield pair of Pedri (8) and Gavi (30) operating ahead of Busquets (5) in the middle, the veteran using his experience to direct those two from deeper.

In the back four, Alonso (17) made his first start for the club at left-back and, with five completed crosses, played more as a wing-back than Jules Koundé (23) on the right. As is their way, Barcelona's defenders were willing to take risks and defend one v one and Koundé, a natural centre-back, stood out for his defending against Mané.

Features

According to the UEFA match observer, Bayern excelled defensively thanks to their disciplined efforts in man-marking – and this is highlighted in the video above. In the middle of the pitch, Kimmich and Sabitzer (or Leon Goretzka in the second half) marked Pedri and Gavi respectively while Musiala showed impressive discipline in his efforts to track Busquets (see first clip).

It was a controlled display from Bayern and helped them stay in the game in the first half when Barcelona threatened with plenty of one v one actions. They displayed both mental resilience and physical power and Kimmich led the way, covering more ground than any player in the Champions League this week (13.15km) as he helped his team deal with the most creative area of the Barcelona side. He made the most interceptions of the Bayern team – five, along with Dayot Upamecano – as well as providing direction on the ball.

Bayern looked physically strong for the entire match and in the second period, with an advantage on the scoreboard, they stretched across the pitch more having been so compact previously.

As for Barcelona, their performance held a number of positives according to the UEFA observer who praised their impressive show of personality against opponents who have become something of a bogey side to them in recent years (four successive defeats prior to Tuesday). In the first half, there was no evidence of an inferiority complex as they pressed high and in numbers, at times applying pressure in the defensive third with six players. When defending their half, meanwhile, they formed a low block in the defensive third, with just Lewandowski left forward, which was the platform for counterattacks.

Among the visitors' better performers was Pedri, who caught the eye with his creativity, movement and technical control. He was first to threaten Manuel Neuer's goal with a shot saved by the German's leg and combined well with Lewandowski. It was not a performance without flaws, though. Barcelona's set-piece defending was exposed by the first goal and, moreover, they paid for a lack of precision in front of goal. They had 18 shots to Bayern's 13 (an xG of 2.03 to the German champions' 1.71) and the UEFA observer wondered about the emotional factor of Lewandowski's return. The Polish striker had seven shots but only two on goal – a 28.6% ratio on target, compared with 61.3% across the whole of last season.

That Lewandowski failed to score was also down to one brilliant piece of Bayern defending just before half-time when substitute Mazraoui produced a fabulous sliding block to foil him as he prepared to unleash a shot after being put clear in the penalty box by Pedri.

Coaches' assessments

Julian Nagelsmann, Bayern coach: "Barça had the better chances in the first half, we had to rely on Manu [Neuer]. In the second half, we defended much better, with more aggression. I was really pleased with that. Then we scored an important goal from a set piece, and doubled up soon after. We were the better side in the second half, Barça were better in the first. Today we showed the kind of efficiency we lacked against Stuttgart and Gladbach [in home draws]. In the first half, our final ball wasn't quite there. It was much better in the second half, and our efficiency made the difference."

Xavi Hernández, Barcelona coach: "We can't let them off the hook so much. I'm leaving here pretty hacked off because this was a night to win. But I'm also feeling proud of the team. However it's about winning and we'll need to compete better in crucial moments like the two goals and to be more effective when we create chances. We made six or seven big goal chances but missed them and Bayern took their opportunity. We competed, we played very well and had we scored it would have been a completely different match. This is the Champions League though, you need to compete and you try to avoid the marking error at the corner which let them go 1-0 up."